It was nearly Eran's turn. The murmurs had softened to a low hum across the hall.. until suddenly, a sound broke through it.

Click.

A boy stepped through the entrance, his hair shimmering in crystalline shades of blue that seemed to catch and bend the light itself. His gait was calm, deliberate.. yet his presence struck like a command. The faint click of his polished boots echoed against the marble floor, crisp and steady.

Every conversation died instantly. Even the Grade D students who had been whispering moments ago froze where they stood. Then, in one seamless motion, all six enforcers seated at the front table rose from their chairs and bowed slightly, their expressions straightened into rigid composure.

Eran's eyes tracked the newcomer as he advanced down the aisle. The boy's aura was undeniable, an aristocratic power that radiated confidence without effort. As he passed, Eran's gaze flicked to the edge of his robe… and his breath caught.

There, sewn into the lower hem, gleamed a faint but unmistakable crest—ornate, interwoven with silver thread. Eran's pulse thudded.

He knew that mark.

His thoughts raced.. the same crest he had seen earlier, stitched at the corner of Miyu's robe.

For a heartbeat, his stare lingered, and realization washed through him like a chill.

Twice now, he'd seen that same emblem... precise, among every other nobles.

Slowly, the six enforcers returned to their seats as the crystalline-haired noble approached the table. His steps were deliberate and unhurried, yet every stride carried authority that made even the sound of his boots feel commanding.

Eran's gaze followed him, drawn without permission. The faint shimmer of the crest sewn into the boy's robe caught the light again, the same intricate emblem he'd once seen on Miyu's. His system flickered with restless curiosity, but before the thought could deepen...

"Next."

The firm command snapped him back. Eran inhaled quietly and stepped forward, his hand steady as he reached for the quill. He signed 'Eran Vale' the ink glowing faintly as it's mana sealed into the parchment, his crest imprinting itself onto the glowing transcript.

Then, just as Eran withdrew his hand, the crystalline-haired noble shifted, his voice cutting through the tension.. calm, measured, but absolute.

"Deliver the full transcript of all signed students to my office once the registry is complete."

His tone wasn't loud, but it carried the kind of authority that silenced even prideful nobles.

At once, the enforcers at the table rose slightly in acknowledgment.

"Yes, sir."

Eran could almost feel the air thicken behind him; the nobles who had whispered moments ago now stood pale, eyes wide, their spines straight as if frozen mid-breath.

The boy gave no further glance. He simply turned, robes brushing lightly against the marble, and walked toward the grand doorway. The faint hum of mana trailed him like a whisper of dominion.. until he stepped past the entrance and vanished down the corridor.

The heavy presence still lingered in the air like an unseen weight pressing against every chest. Even after the crystalline-haired noble's departure, silence clung to the hall for a long moment.. until Professor Girzar's voice cut sharply through it, snapping everyone back to the present.

"Continue. Those yet to sign, step forward."

The murmurs resumed, cautious at first, then gradually swelling back into faint conversation as each student moved to sign their name.

Eran shifted slightly, turning toward the entrance. The faint shimmer of light from the marble floor stretched ahead of him as he began to walk, the air still thick with the echo of authority that had filled the room moments ago.

Then came the whispers.

Two noble girls leaned close near the corner, their heads tilted toward each other, voices dropping low but not low enough to escape his hearing.

"I could already feel the pressure of this duel," one muttered, barely suppressing a nervous laugh.

"But hell," the other replied, her tone dripping with mockery, "what makes that commoner sign that transcript?"

A stifled giggle slipped out.

"That dude's doomed already. Pttt—hah, I love the confidence though. Signing his own removal from the academy."

Eran's steps slowed for half a second. His gaze cut toward them.. not sharp, but enough for both girls to straighten instantly, their smiles faltering. He drew in a quiet exhale, more out of habit than irritation, then turned away again.

The polished doors parted with a low creak as he stepped through, leaving the echo of whispers behind him.

Outside, the sun stretched long shadows across the courtyard stones. The faint murmur of distant voices from the hall lingered like fading echoes, but here in the academy's private courtyard, everything felt quieter.. calmer, almost detached from the noise of the hierarchy inside.

Miyu stood there, her posture composed, one hand resting lightly against the marble railing. The soft breeze carried the strands of her silvery hair across her face, glinting faintly under the sinking light.

Eran's boots clicked softly against the stone as he approached, his hands tucked loosely into his pockets. He stopped a few feet from her, tilting his head slightly, and let out a quiet smirk that curved at the corner of his lips.

"You really waited," he said, in a low, almost teasing voice.

Miyu leaned slightly, her voice breaking the quiet with a teasing lilt and a soft chuckle.

"I wasn't sure you'd come out of that scene still breathing confidence," she said, eyes gleaming with amusement.

Eran's lips curved faintly, a quiet smirk pulling at his face as he met her gaze.

"You almost sound surprised I did."

She stepped closer, as her fingers brushed lightly along his arm, with that subtle grace she always carried.

"Surprised?" she echoed, a small laugh slipping through. "Not quite."

Her tone softened, steady but low enough that only he could hear. "Well, now that it's officially signed by the academy itself…"

Miyu lifted her hand slightly, catching Eran's gaze again, her violet eyes glinting beneath the fading courtyard light. "You know, I already took it off the Nexus Core to restrain a bit of my mana. I'll try to hold myself as much as I can out there."

Eran's gaze lingered on her, unreadable yet edged with that familiar calm. "I know you would, Miyu," he said at last, brushing his hand lightly against hers. A faint smirk ghosted his lips. "I'll await the duel."

His gaze lingered on hers for a moment..

"I know you would, Miyu," he said quietly, with a quiet smirk still tracing his lips. "I'll await until the duel arrives."

Miyu leaned closer, her breath brushing warmly against his cheek before she pressed a light kiss to his lips.. a teasing curve following after. "My noble king," she whispered with a smirk, her voice dripping with both amusement and desire.

Eran's eyes held hers for a heartbeat longer as she pulled back. "I'll be gone for a while," she added softly, then tilted her head with mock seriousness. "I just hope those shitty nobles don't come near you… or the queen herself might break them in half."

Eran chuckled low, his hand slipping behind her as he gave her a light, playful smack. "Then keep an eye on your king," he murmured.

She glanced back over her shoulder, violet eyes gleaming with mischief. "I guess you wouldn't even tell before I react," she teased.

Then she turned, walking away with that same poised pride that made her stand above the rest. Each step carried the elegance of a noble—hips swaying, robe brushing lightly across the floor, and the click of her heels fading down the corridor.

Eran watched every step in silence, his gaze lingering a moment longer than he should've. Then, slowly, his thoughts drifted back to the boy from earlier. The one whose calm presence had silenced the hall. The faint insignia sewn into the corner of his robe…

He hadn't seen that mark on any other noble's robe since his time at the academy. Not once.

Perhaps, he mused silently, if my thoughts are right… then that boy isn't just another noble.

The possibility stirred something within him... calculation. Curiosity wrapped in the same sharp awareness that had always kept him alive in a hierarchy that fed on pride and bloodline.

Someone close enough to her… or someone the others haven't yet noticed is related to her in bloodline.

He exhaled softly, pushing the thought aside... for now. The duel was approaching, and there are more to the heirachy itself.

The breeze stirred faintly across the courtyard as Eran turned away, His gaze lifted briefly to the academy's towering spires; a quiet reminder of what awaited him beyond the trials and the hierarchy.Each step he took carried the weight of calm resolve, the kind that hid purpose behind stillness.

the thought sinking deeper into his mind like a thread waiting to unravel.

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